This is the tenth grade blog accompanying the website, Step into our classroom by your teacher, Troy White - www.stepintoourclassroom.org. This blog is a resource to help facilitate homework and in-class assignments. I am not alone in blogging, as everyone will be participating in the writing process via your personal blog. Writing is not only an art form, but a means of communication.*If you are having difficulties viewing our numerous embedded Google Docs, you need to update your browser.
WOW! What an excellent job everyone has done with their characters. We have such a menagerie, an organ thief, a photographer, a delusional widows, a chicken whisperers, a band manager, a male-spy ballerina, and failed musicians and magicians.
Have a look at a few!
Name :Lt. Colonel Vladimir Contratiev Born:5th October, 1969 (1975-07-06) (age 39)Origin:Kraznatar, Soviet Union, (Russia) Genre(s): BalletOccupation(s): Army Officer, Embassy Military Attaché, Presently: (Russian Intelligence Spy), and Ballet Dancer At The Russian Culture Centre, Cyprus.
In all her life she took care of the chicken and was living in her own world with the chicken next to her so that she didn’t feel alone and Pambos was still with her. On July 10th 2003 she died alone with nobody in this world to cry for her.
Espadril Roco, (14 September 1983) born Armana de Roco was born in Valente. She is a B.I.G (Brazilian it girl) model and was raised by the famous Zavlos Roco, the creater of the O.T.T (Organ Theft Trade) in Rio de Janeiro, in a house that was blown up three years ago by the Tella de Si hooligans. She was arrested in 2005 for being a suspect of abuse, murder, and organ selling with no licence. Since then Roco has written her first book about her abusive upbringing and has created her own live show ''Hidden Lies'', that will begin showing on the CTVW channel in August 2008.
Yes this does differ from the original play, but these kids are extremely talented. While watching try to point out the numerous modernized analogies they make. For example - Sword play to ? Punishment by death : ?
These boys make a valiant effort as they stay true to the actual dialogue. Not bad.
Check out these excerpts from a number of your peers' Story Map projects. Do do them the justice of reading the accompanying text!
Eddy - Don't call Eddy a "tool"! "The last job we had to do was to dig the trees of their garden and also to shave their grass. I really enjoyed shaving it, even though I destroyed half of their flowers! After a lot of hard work and dedication, we were finally over and we could enjoy the rest of the day eating cakes and pizza from my young cousin's party inside the house." Heart-a-Zak -
"I like to spend time with my cats. The one on the left is called ‘Ugly’ because... well shes not ugly but when you look at her face directly she looks very bewildered which amuses me. The one on the right is ‘Dora’ as when she was small she was the first to go into all the rooms and explore all the corners of the house. Dora the Explorer would be too long to name a cat."
"On Saturday morning we woke up, had breakfast and headed for The Mall of Athens in Maroussi, we arrived at around 11pm and had until 2pm, we all (meaning the shopaholics of the trip) happily became bankrupt and were left with scars on our hands from the one two many shopping bags. We caught the metro and went back to the hotel. That evening we walked to Monastiraki, the end of the main shopping street Ermou and ate dinner."
From the book of poetry, Iron Flowers, A Poetic Report on a Visit to Haiti
Wikipedia defines Podcast as, “A podcast is a series of audio or video digital-media files which is distributed over the Internet by syndicated download, through Web feeds, to portable media players and personal computer”.
It’s really just an mp3.
You will: - Find a podcast - Listen to it - Write a summary and include the necessary technical information
ALL THIS IS ITEMIZED BY THE EXAMLE BELOW. FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE
“Can I find a podcast that is interesting to me?”
Oh my GOD!!!!
- Heavy Metal Podcast! – In about 15 seconds I found 20 podcast dedicated to the Metal, One even has head-banging licks in GREEK!
- Fashion – “takes an in-depth look at the world of high fashion. We introduce you to the people who are the driving and creative forces behind the shows”
- Football - I found so many. Paul, I listened to one dedicated solely to Arsenal
- Literature - I told you I could find a podcast about Twighlight Lord of the Rings Radio!!!
- Travel – Lonely Planet?
- Jonas Brothers? Yes, really, the Jonas Brothers
- Gaming – World of Warcraft
- Humor- “Cartalk” radio program with two brother mechanics taking calls from troubled car owners.
- Real Life Stories – “This American Life” the best!
- Personal Interest - “The Working Actor Podcast”
Where to find podcasts? Itunes – search for podcast at the itunes store, hundreds of thousands Podcast.com National Public Radio - www.npr.org/rss/podcast/podcast_directory.php BBC - www.bbc.co.uk/radio/podcasts/ Podomatic.com Podfeed.com
The podcast you review must be:
1- Audio (not a video podcast. These are great, but a videopodcast can simply be an mp3 video file. Such as “South Park Video Podcast”, is nothing more than the show.
2. At least 20 minutes in length
3. Conducted in the English language
4. presented in the same format as below; with an image
Title – Music Week
Episode – Chinese Democracy Date – November 23, 2008 Time – 26:53 Website - http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/shows/music_week/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/podcasts/musicweek/
Description of Episode (from the Podcast producers) – “On this week's Music Week Podcast we celebrate the release of Guns N' Roses 15 years in the making Chinese Democracy. We also get reactions to the return of Top Of The Pops and play Mr. & Mrs. with Travis.”
Why I picked this podcast? (Summary)
I like music and the BBC has really high quality productions. I listen to this programme quite a bit. It often covers musicians and bands I’m a fan off and others I have never heard before and strike my interest. This particular episode seemed interesting as it documents the long awaited release of Guns and Roses album Chinese Democracy. I’m not really a huge G&R fan, but this is too crazy to ignore. This album has been fifteen years in production. It’s “making” is older than some of you. They give a timeline of what’s happened to the once very successful band since their last album and curiously I found out that the band no longer is the “band” as only one original member, Axel Rose, is still present. They also provide a number of interesting on the street interviews with G&R fans. Apparently 15 years wasn’t long enough.
They also have an interesting segment with Travis. I like Travis. Music Week asks the members to quiz one another on certain intimate details that one would expect to know after playing together for ten years. “What’s his favorite song to play live”? “What’s his favorite color”?
What a plonker I am! I had never heard their non-singing voices and never knew they were Scottish! Go Miss Kate!
Later they conduct an interview with TV on the Radio , a band I didn’t really know anything about. Obviously I was curious and sought out their music… very cool.
Part three discusses the historical relationship between artist and musicians citing such figures as John Lennon. Music Week interviews a number of famous artist cum musicians and dabbles into why they straddled the two disciplines.
“Top of the Pops”! I know this show even from a childhood in this States. The quintessential English music television show, Top of the Pops was fundamental in forming youth culture. BBC has it scheduled for a return of the programme for the annual Christmas schedule. Can’t wait!
As I frequently listen to this programme I can say it is definitely enjoyable. I would suggest to any fan of modern music. When you find a podcast you really like you can subscribe to it. Subscribing will allow itunes to automatically download each week's episode. Easy, informative, and entertaining, podcast keeps you in touch with the rest of the world.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
WATCH! This is the film we will be viewing this Friday at the Cyprus International Children's Film Festival. We will discuss themes in class prior, so please have at least two in mind when we get together next.
Don't forget, THEME = a central and dominating idea in a literary work.... The main idea...In addition, the term means a message or moral implicit in any work of art.
The term is from the Greek thema, meaning “proposition,” which was derived from tithenai, meaning “to put.”
Themes in A Taste of Salt - Overcoming poverty and adversity - Fighting for justice/a good cause
Themes in The Hobbit- Taking risks - battling one's insecurities
Sixty something responsible mature businessman, looking for someone to spend quality time on my dark, cold, Deathstar. Tall, strong, and with an unmatchable invisible grip, I like fencing (light sabers) and dog-fighting in my Tie-fighter. You must be willing to deal with my asthma and deviated septum (not to mention random acts of violence- space rage!) Not much of a family man, not looking to have kids (been there-done that!). I like movies and music, Cheaper By the Dozen- The Jonas Brothers! Jedi Night, or even some force being with you is a plus. No short green chicks or Wookies please! Definitely no HUTTS! Masks are optional.
You must pick a character from our novel, The Hobbit. Use the character sketch graphic organizer to detail his characteristics. These need to be both physical and emotional.
What might be a trait of Bilbo? Supply where in the story we can see this. Then add likes and dislikes, also supplying support from the story. If you state that Bilbo likes a certain activity, where do we see his in the book?
Your personal add needs: - title of add - Both physical and emotional characteristics - Likes and dislikes - Characteristics that he would like in a significant other - One exert of sheer silliness, or irony (Must play basketball, dumb but ironic for Bilbo- diminutive)
Yes, famed director Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth, Hell Boy) is scheduled to bring Tolkien's the Hobbit film.
See what Guillermo has to say.
Now, please watch this with an open mind. 1977 is quite a while ago, and audience expectations have definitely changed over the years. Watch, and see how this interpretation is inline with the actual novel.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Due to a recent increase in random rabid feline attacks in Strovolos Park, UN Special Forces presence is on the rise. A crack covert team from the Saskatchewan Forestry Division recently arrived to the island. Local feline insurgents have begun to retaliate and the chipmunks have requested increased firepower.
Movies, films, Holly-Bollywood… what sort of person with a pulse doesn’t like movies? What’s a film you absolutely love, or hate, or perhaps saw last? When one writes a review of a film they are giving their:
Giving a brief account of the film; setting, characters, major themes and without giving too much away (spoiler), they let the reader in on the plot.
You (no please this time) MUST read the following TWO links regarding writing a film revew.
I chose a film, not only because I like it, but because I think a number of you will like it. “The Devil’s Backbone” (2001) is a historical mystery/horror film by Mexican director Guillermo del Toro (you may know him from the “Hell Boy” series and “Pan’s Labyrinth”). Below you will find a review by Neil Smith for the BBC. It’s a decent review and most of what Mr. Smith says is does justice to the film.
The Devil's Backbone (2001) Reviewed by Neil Smith Updated 27 November 2001
On the back of "Cronos" and "Mimic", Guillermo del Toro has emerged as one of the horror genre's most striking new talents. "The Devil's Backbone" (El Espinazo del Diablo) may be more conventional than its forebears, but it's still a superior ghost story/murder mystery which confirms del Toro as a name to watch (his next movie will be "Blade 2"). Set in a school-cum-orphanage at the end of the Spanish Civil War, the movie begins as a childhood rite-of-passage for ten-year-old Carlos (Tielve) before spiralling into a "Shining"-style spook fest. Although the orphanage lies on a remote and dusty plateau far away from the frontline, the threat and dread of war is omnipresent - not least due to the huge unexploded bomb that sits reproachfully in the middle of the courtyard. Carlos' life is hardly made easier by the bullying Jaime (Garcés) and the school's menacing janitor, Jacinto (Noriega). But things get even more threatening when Carlos begins seeing the pale spectre of Santi (Valverde), a fellow orphan who was brutally murdered shortly before his arrival.
Cleverly lacing its chilling melodrama with a political twist - with Jacinto's brooding rage implicitly equated with the fascist oppressor - "The Devil's Backbone" reverses expectations by telling its doom-laden Gothic narrative in broad daylight and baking sunshine. The climax is a little disappointing, and the glowering Noriega is really too handsome to pose much of a threat. Unlike most so-called thrillers, though, this is one "Backbone" that's guaranteed to send a shiver down yours.
In Spanish with English subtitles.
Director: Guillermo del Toro Writer: Guillermo del Toro, Antonio Trashorras, David Muñoz Stars: Eduardo Noriega, Marisa Paredes, Federico Luppi, Íñigo Garcés, Fernando Tielve, Irene Visedo, Junio Valverde
You must include:
-both an image and the trailer to the movie. -credit information including date of release, director, actors - language
.jpg)
+copy.jpg)
